Gold-Medal Winners at the Great American Beer Festival

Check out the Great American Beer Festival picks for the top 20 beers.

Confused about what to choose in the beer aisle? Check out the Great American Beer Festival picks for the top 20 beers of 2007.

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Jason E. Kaplan/ Great American Beer Festival

Great American Beer Festival

If you're anything like us, the endless choices in the beer aisle make your eyes cross and you end up of reaching for the same old standards. Why bypass the Budweiser for an unknown brew?

Well, the judges at the Great American Beer Festival did the research and came up with the best beers of 2007. California breweries had a good year, claiming eight of the 20 gold medals awarded, while Fancy Lawnmower by Saint Arnold Brewing Co. (Texas) wins our personal award for Beer with the Most Outlandish Name.

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Atlanta Brewing Co. - Red Brick Blonde

Atlanta Brewing Co.

Red Brick Blonde

Georgia

Golden or Blonde Ale

Flavor Profile: American-style beer with light body and fresh malt flavor. Mild hops and a clean finish make this brew ideal for the summer.

Flavor Profile: A classic marzen style lager, Balto Märzhon is amber in color with a rich, toasty malt flavor and finish. Well balanced and smooth.

Region(s) Sold: 21 states throughout the East Coast and Midwest

Approximate Cost: $8.99-9.99/6-pack

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Deschutes Brewery - The Abyss

Deschutes Brewery

The Abyss

Oregon

Imperial Stout

Flavor Profile: Imperial Stout, a dark beer made with roasted malts or roasted barley, is named after its dark, deep, and mysterious flavor experience.

Region(s) Sold: Throughout Oregon and surrounding states

Approximate Cost: $7-9/22 oz. Bomber

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Elysian Brewing Co. - The Wise ESB

Elysian Brewing Co.

The Wise ESB

WA

Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter

Flavor Profile: The ESB stands for Extra Special Bitter and the bitterness comes from the extra doses of hops and Belgian Special B malts.

Region(s) Sold: Seattle, WA

Approximate Cost: $3.50-5.50/22 oz. Bottle

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Flossmoor Station Brewing - Killer Kowalski

Flossmoor Station Brewing Co.

Killer Kowalski

IL

Baltic-Style Porter

Flavor Profile: This Baltic Porter beer is very dark with a burnt taste and hints of coffee and chocolate flavors.

Region(s) Sold: Flossmoor, IL and surrounding areas

Approximate Cost: $14.95/ 64oz. Growler

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Great American Restaurants - Crazy Jackass Ale

Great American Restaurants

Crazy Jackass Ale

VA

Rye Beer

Flavor Profile: The Crazy Jackass Ale, which is beer brewed from malted barley using a top-fermenting brewers' yeast, is refreshing and easily drinkable. It has a very light and fruity aroma and flavor, with a little bit of a spicy, plantain-like taste from the rye.

Flavor Profile: This Pizza Port wine is made with four sugars (Malted Barley, Raisins, Candi Sugar and Sour Cheeries) and aged for a full year to create the dark flavor.

Region(s) Sold: California

Approximate Cost: $15/ 375 ml

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey - Judgment Day

Port Brewing & The Lost Abbey

Judgment Day

CA

Specialty Beer

Flavor Profile: Judgement Day is a very dark, intense beer due to its 5 different types of malts and various hops.

Region(s) Sold: California

Approximate Cost: $8.99-12.99/750 ml

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Pyramid Breweries - Crystal Wheat Ale

Pyramid Breweries

Pyramid Crystal Weizen

WA

American-Style Wheat Beer

Flavor Profile: The Crystal Wheat Ale is a wheat beer, which are brewed with wheat and malted barley and usually top-fermented. Crystal Wheat Ale is made with wheat hops and pale ale, resulting in a full-flavored yet light brew.

Region(s) Sold: Throughout the Western, Midwest and Southwestern states. Available sparingly throughout East Coast.

Approximate Cost: $8/6-pack

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Redrock Brewing Co. - Organic Zwickelbier

Redrock Brewing Co.

Organic Zwickelbier

UT

Cellar or Unfiltered Beer

Flavor Profile: Zwickelbier is a type of unpasteurized beer that is matured to produce a smooth, naturally cloudy beer that's rich in vitamins (from the yeast).

Region(s) Sold: Salt Lake City and Park City, UT

Approximate Cost: $12/22 oz. Growler

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Saint Arnold Brewing Co. - Fancy Lawnmower

Saint Arnold Brewing Co.

Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower

TX

German Style Kölsch/Köln Style Kölsch

Flavor Profile: German hops and yeast achieve a light yet has a sweet malty body that is balanced by a complex, citrus hop character.

Region(s) Sold: Texas

Approximate Cost: $8/6-pack

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Courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Steamworks Brewing Co. - Steam Engine Lager

Steamworks Brewing Co.

Steam Engine Lager

CO

American Style Amber Lager

Flavor Profile: Steam Engine is an Amber Lager noted for its malt sweetness and hop spice with a smooth, dry finish.

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